CAMPUS.cominterview with campus.com about the lifeblog project for students worldwide seeking jobs

Moblogging BlogHer || mobile jonesAnina: anina.net and LifeBlog, Anina is proof positive that "dumb model" is a useless stereotype. If you need a comsumate example of "me as a brand" Anina is it.

LIFE CACHING - LIFE CONTENT MANAGEMENTbeautiful blog and beautiful comprehensive article about human beings documenting their lives with various different tool. speaking about lifeblog and anina.net also.

Anina : Top model et geekcheck out Nghia Nguyen Dai / Directeur des Publications article about coming to my exhibition party! he wrote the most amazing article with great photos. i love it! thank you so much Nghia!

02/09/2015

Ever wonder what it is that I am doing in China all this time? Well, here's your chance to see it. CRI Radio followed me around during our 3D Festival rampup and you get to see me building the robotic dress, talking about fashion and tech, and executing the 3D Festival exhibition. It's pretty go-go-go and at the same time it's pretty much fun. It is certainly not easy, but in the world where we get to choose what we want to do, I am following my passion.

10/07/2013

The Mayor of Beijing came to visit the 3D Festival exhibition during Beijing Design Week 2013. He enjoyed to see all the 3D Printers and told us that he knows a lot about 3D technology because he used to work with autocad and other 3D programs for architecture!

Anina demonstrates Nokia City Lens Augmented Reality app to Beijing Design Week Director. Talking about smart cities, and tools that can be used, location based Augmented Reality is an excellent solution!

08/15/2012

I recently have been turned on to an organization that is creating change for women by opposing the sexism that appears on the internet. My eyes were made open to this by my friend YingYing who is an active feminist and remains feminine. I didnt really know that I also shared these feelings because I am often the paun in front of the camera doing whatever the photographer is asking me to do.

Recently I was appauled by the GO DADDY television commercials and embarrassed to say that I host my main domains with Go Daddy even though they have often made mistakes and made me loose domains due to messups on their system, like the one that drove my lost domain price up to 10,000 dollars (thank you go daddy) due to a "glitch" in their system that made me compete against myself with out to notify me. How can I keep my domains hosted at Go Daddy when they clearly demean and damage the image of women? It's complicated to move the domains to another host, but I shall indeed take the time to do it because I can clearly see that Go Daddy think that as a woman, I"m useless in technology because we have CARL, actually keeps everything running. That may be true for Go Daddy, but it's not true for my friend Heather Hobson who is one of the most talented network engeneers in the world (my statement) and keeps the T1 lines up on Times Square running day and night. I'd love to hear her opinion of the Go Daddy commercials.

Poor Charlene...I wish you would study computer science instead of just petting that otter and sending senators into early retirement. What about Selina? SHE gets all the attention and Wayne pays attention.

After seeing this movement "MISS REPRESENTATION" I cant help but feel responsable in part as a fashion model. Although I dont design the campaigns, nor shoot them, I am responsable for my actions in front of the camera. I admit it. I fall into the trap of playing the SEXY woman because that's what is required of me. The photograher says "More Sexy, Anina. Open your lips." and I do it. The other day on a shooting I suddenly becamse aware of myself kneeling and gripping the male model's leg...or caressing his hand with a fake kiss as he towered over me. Sure, I'm not really a SEXY girl--I'm like a high class power woman style, and yet, those power women in fashion seem to be dominatrix style characters who controll everything and are super smart with billions in the bank (how did they get them? Marry rich in the inference). I also can totally understand the model who plays the role of Charlene or Selina, because what they really are thinking (and I have thought it too!) is that the advertsing TVC residuals are going to be big and in her pocket!

At one point I'm becoming a brand--Anina.net--standing for women and technology, and I still work as a model (when they call with $$ in their hand why should I say no as a young entrepreneur) which I find a nice break from computers and business (contracts sometimes do my head in!). At which point do I become more concious of what I'm projecting in the media. If you have seen my most recent photoshoots, in Agenda Magazine, and this month's LIfestyle Magazine, you will see the type of images that I am making (literally putting the concept together and the photoshoot together with the photographer) they are projecting a positive self image for women and technology. Only by seizing the controll myself, can I controll the image. When I"m working for a client, I am at the beck and call of the brand.

About Being Sexy. Yes, every girl (woman) wants to be considered attractive and for centuries we have dressed up, sung, needlepointed our way to show our talents like in the modern day talent competitions (can you tell I recently watched Marie Antoinette) in order to raise ourselves out of the economic crisis by "selling" ourselves to men. Most of the time I operate my energy levels as neuter central--not male or female--I'm just me. I dont think about what gendor I am because I"m focused on other things. When it comes to an event, suddenly I have to dress up and perform to people and then I'm made more aware that I am feminine against the masculine people I meet. It's a balance--but how to find the middle between being sexy/powerful/adored/admired and portraying a positive self image for women? What is the positive self image for women? Is it a neuter central or non-feminist way? Is it a no-sexy zone? What is it?

08/13/2012

Someone emailed me the other day telling me that I should "give it up" and realize that no one reads my blog. In many ways it is true--I am more on facebook now these days and building up my Anina Dress Up facebook page to promote my iPhone game and website (which has over 1500 people signed up to the newsletter and 20k registered and active users without any promotion--yeah!), along with really posting a lot on my Sina Weibo (9000 followers) and RenRen (5500 followers). The primary reason for this is because Sina Weibo is not blocked in China (I have a Windows Phone 7 device and to my knowledge there's no way to set a proxy easily or at all) and I've recently become super active on facebook thanks to my new favorite browser, ROCKMELT (I love you Rockmelt! Please integrate Chinese social media!).

That doesn't mean that no one is listening to my blog when I do write--or that because my blog has been around for so long it has a high googl search engine ranking, or that the term "Model Blogger" doesnt call me up in the first position because I really was the first model blogger (Thanks to Marc Canter who is really brilliant--he explains everything to me in the tech world in fashion terms. I love it.) The person who criticized me said that no one is following my blog according to the alexa ranking--well that's just web views. Actually, all the traffic has switched to RSS followers, and then to all the mobile apps downloaded with my blog inside, and when I do blog something it posts on my facebook page (2500+ followers) and people comment--on the facebook post. The conversation has shifted, and that doesnt mean the blog is any less meaningful. It means that the replies and the views come from other places.

Additionally, I am happy to say short things on facebook, but when I want to really talk about something, I do it on my blog. Although sparingly now, when I do blog something, it's because it's super important to me and I want to take the time to write about it. Back in 205-2006 I rapidly saw the bloggosphere take shape, in 2007-2008 everyone else in the fashion industry finally caught on, and I already moved on and predicted that the blog would evolve into a publication. I remember telling Imran Amed exactly that--and indeed, his blog, THE BUSINESS OF FASHION (my idea and point of view to him!) has evolved off the blog and into a online newspaper. Voilla right again, just way ahead of the times.

Although I don't blog every day mainly because Typepad doesnt have a mobile client that works for Windows Phone 7 and I can't make a proxy work on the phone to get to their mobile site, I do feel that when I want to say something long, it should be here.

Recently, I've starting writing my book about women and entrepreneurship with the help of my friend and interviewing lots of super (role) models. You can be sure that I'm looking back on my past blogs when I first started to get the idea to write about modelling and grab those posts to put into the book. I knew then that I would be writing a book, so I blogged certain chapters so that I could recouperate them later--thank you for the blog.

I read blogs every day, and I have seen a shift from long blog posts to shorter tweet style posts to pinterist style posts to full on photoblogs. I am not sure how I feel about this shift. First, I think there's a real lack of credting going on of photos, and sources. Second, I feel that if other people didn't have the possibility to write blog posts, I would really have a lack of information. Recently I wanted to find out how to create irrigation for my houseplants--I found so much information online thanks to pinterist that lead me to blog posts with the HOW TO explanation on them.

Yes, is facebook easier to jot down a short note and post a photo? Yes, because I can do it from my ROCKMELT--is it a hassle to login to Typepad and click 4 buttons before I can create a blog post? For posting videos, yes. Do I maintain my blog by email to blog? Yes, great. Could Typepad help me out by creating a blogging tool for my phone--I wish. Could I get a proxy working on my phone--in my dreams.

Maintaining social media and social connections and social contact is very hard in todays world because we give so much time to work, work, working for our dreams. Thanks to these great tools though, I'm starting to do better and keep better in contact across all my social medias spanning the globe. Do I wish RockMelt would integrate sina weibo--yes you betcha. Am I excited to upgrade my MACBOOK PRO to the new IOS so it will work with Chinese social media--I cant wait till all the bugs are fixed and I can install it.

Is the Web dead? Not sure about that. Is this the Mobile Era--absolutely.

04/15/2012

NFC means “near field communication” system. It uses an RFID tag and a built-in mobile phone reader to pass information between objects when touched together. An example of NFC is when people scan their Beijing metro card to enter the train area. The metro card uses an RFID chip to pass information to the metro card and allow the gates to the train area to open. The most common form of NFC used in fashion is to track freight on clothing items or shipments to protect against lost or stolen materials.

2、How to use NFC and the ESMOD Technology Textile Collage? 如何使用NFC和ESMOD科技纺织品拼贴画？

a. Using the phone provided touch the phone to the fabric on the wall. 请使用所提供的电话接触展示墙上的纺织品。

b. The phone will vibrate and ask if it should display the information, click YES 电话会发出震动声并询问是否需要显示信息，请点击“是”。

c. The name of the fabric and information will be displayed on the screen of the phone. 电话上会显示出纺织品的名字和相关信息。

3、How can I use NFC in my business? 我如何在经营中使用NFC?

NFC can be used inside physical stores to download coupons and discounts from posters, create check-in areas for VIP guests, or link to additional information in the store environment. It can encourage new customers to come inside and try new collections, download an app to the mobile, or watch a video. NFC is useful because it is a 2-way communication and can be used in customer loyalty programs and events.

02/18/2012

I used to feel that photoshop was not good in photos, but recently I've changed my tune slightly. You see, often these days photographers don't know how to really make light, so photoshop is their lighting tool. Who wants bad light? It would make anyone look ugly. Light is the key in a great photo to evoke emotions and paint the beauty of a person on film (or digital film). Just like Polaroid film or today's Instagram app, it softens the harsh lack of good light meters in mobile camera's. I think in some cases it makes the photo as we see it with our eye. Not in all cases of course, a lot of it is like oil painting to bring out the fantasy. Yet thank gosh for that magic photoshop cream--it certainly makes me feel beautiful and good about myself image....or that fabulous Instagram app.

01/27/2012

The world is getting bigger and more global thanks to Burda Publishing and the stylish DLD Conference. This year they invited two top models from India to speak about the ever changing and emerging fashion market. Sonny has started a purely western India based online ecommerce store for his brand SherSing with massive success as is only possible in countries such as India, China, Russia, and maybe the USA because of the size of the markets populations. Sonny has teamed up with Lisa for the women's line and both are catering to the new Indian international customers. They say they are able to compete on price and quality by harnessing India's manufacturing market plus the insight into their own international experiences. Being an Internet company in an emerging market is not easy as they need triple protection (T1 line, cable, dual up, and 3G) just in case someone plows into one of their connection as they can't afford to wait two weeks for someone to come and fix it. Being in a market such as India requires hands on micromanagement so the two stay rooted in Bombay and Mumbai with only short trips to NYC. They will keep their international style for the brand but always have a twist to on the inside of Indian culture to remind them of their roots as they jet into the global future. Go model power!